Interest in traffic Web site no accident

June 8, 2000 8:51 PM

Interest in traffic Web site no accident
after a dramatic increase in fatal accidents, the osaka prefectural police started posting the exact locations of upcoming traffic inspections [for speeding & drunk driving] on their website, and now they are logging record numbers of hits -- the idea being that the more people who know about their plans for traffic inspections, the better. the police feel that disclosing such information will help cut down on the number of deadly road accidents.
whether it has had a noticeable effect on traffic safety, however, is uncertain -- the number of drivers caught for violations is about 10 percent less than by this time last year, but the death toll on the prefecture's roads are about the same
posted by palegirl (4 comments total)

Osaka has a few million residents. Some portion of them use the Internet and they only racked up 10,000 "hits".

Do they publicize them in newspapers or on the local radio stations?

Anyhow, of course there's speedtrap.com:

"Founded in 1995, Speedtrap.com is a leading provider of Internet content that is critical to drivers. Speedtrap.com provides people on the move a service that informs them of potential traffic slowdowns, traffic hazards and other information to help save them time during their commute. Speedtrap.com is a privately held company."

Unsure of their IPO or VC. =)
posted by tomalak at 9:50 PM on June 8, 2000

well, what i really loved about this newsitem was the idea being that the more people who know about their plans for traffic inspections, the better. the police feel that disclosing such information will help cut down on the number of deadly road accidents.

i mean, how misguided is that?!
posted by palegirl at 10:10 PM on June 8, 2000

all i know is, when i know that albuquerque is having a big ol' traffic inspection, i make someone else drive.

if im drinking, of course.

heh heh.

(and we don't know where to avoid, but we can totally spot police lights, if we're lucky)
posted by sugarfish at 1:00 AM on June 9, 2000

I think it makes a certain amount of sense. I mean, when is it you most often see a bunch of people going the speed limit? When there's a cop car in front of them. It's pretty Big-Brotherish, but the more drivers think they're being watched, the better they behave.
posted by owen at 4:29 AM on June 9, 2000